Should Searing Tunnels/Netherese ruins give better rewards?

[Hoihe]

In the past, Searing Tunnels/Netherese ruins were specifically designed to discourage players from ever going there. This was to make moving from surface/UD to the other realm more difficult.

Now, we have the cavern system beneath Troll Claws allowing for a much more rewarded and easier connection between the two realms, and teleportation, and other mechanics making the whole idea of designing an area specifically to discourage visitors superfluous.

And thus, I propose - not nerfing the Salamanders, the golems or the ghosts. Nah.

But rather, placing cr 30 chests of decent quantity scattered around the various tunnels and ruins.

I have not been back there since the split, but I remember a lack of reward in the area making it unappealing to raise a warband to raid and loot. Which in my opinion is a shame, as the location has some nice design and thematics.

Turning this previously "No-go zone" into a proper epic challenge would probably appeal to everyone.


(I know wiki says searing tunnels are "cr21", but last time I visited as a melee tank/wizard/wizard combo at level 30, it was still an adequate challenge, and Netherese ghosts are infamous for being one of the toughest enemies).

[The Whistler]

Sounds like a wonderful idea though I'd like to see more dungeons along those lines. If the maze alone offers top shelf rewards it'll regularly be farmed by the usual suspects leading to awkward situations. The white dragon is a good candidate for receiving similar treatment.

[mastajabba]

Well loot seems to be wonky period. I mean the green dragon in the Forrest Wyrms usually drops a vial or acid and some other random junk like empty stein.

I don’t think adding chests is a solution but I think adjusting the loot named bosses in dungeons have is something to look at. But on the original post, that is true why I avoid those dungeons the reward to effort ratio is skewed heavily on the meh side.

[EasternCheesE]

But rather, placing cr 30 chests of decent quantity scattered around the various tunnels and ruins.

Yes, and make it a non KOS zone.

I myself see KOS rules as something evil. I hope, someday we just change it to "KOS simply means you don't have to have some reasoning for your PC to want to kill another PC, yet, you have to make the regular way of PvP etiquette as RP in, RP out, adequate behavior" etc.
Having someone being allowed to just toggle and attack someone else in RP environment feels super wrong from my side.

[cosmic ray]

Well loot seems to be wonky period. I mean the green dragon in the Forrest Wyrms usually drops a vial or acid and some other random junk like empty stein.

I don’t think adding chests is a solution but I think adjusting the loot named bosses in dungeons have is something to look at. But on the original post, that is true why I avoid those dungeons the reward to effort ratio is skewed heavily on the meh side.

If I remember correctly, according to Valefort, the fact that the looting system mostly generates garbage, even when killing the most demanding bosses like the white dragon, is intentional in the name of "comedy".

However, for some of us who regard NwN2 as a fun hobby to be played sometimes in our spare time away from the demands of real life, as opposed to an intense daily chore, the humour may be a little hard to appreciate when it's the trillionth time it happens.



Hoihe and Whistler are very right. The whole looting system should be cleaned of garbage and the levels of all chests increased, starting with the epic areas. The Netherese maze is an especially egregious example, as the only epic thing you're likely to find there is the beating you get from those overpowered monsters. It's the most pointless area on the server at the moment.

[Theodore01]

The Searing Tunnels and Searing Caverns should be moved down into the underdark and get reworked also.
Wouldn't it fit perfectly into the region of the lava cave ?


A CR21 area under (a higher CR) durlags makes no sense at all now.

[EasternCheesE]

Increasing loot chances? Come on, i make 10-20k per loot run into single area in UD on regular basis and those all are raw gold and items i sell to vendor. With a pc who has 56 free carry capacity, so i literally don't take anything that is heavier than 10 pounds.

Winding waters + temple, 7k raw gold income after selling at winding water as lvl 23 pc (1100 or 1200 max gold at vendor, don't remember it).
10k at nashkel mines after compensating all my consumables. Sure, you have unlicky runs or even days, but, on average, gold just goes like river.

I totally like the idea of making Netherese and searing caverns giving better number of possible reward sources, either with more strong gold mobs or with chests, since those are two particular Areas UD people go super rarely.

[TheKai]

The Searing Tunnels and Searing Caverns should be moved down into the underdark and get reworked also.
Wouldn't it fit perfectly into the region of the lava cave ?


A CR21 area under (a higher CR) durlags makes no sense at all now.

This. Absolutely this.

[Lockonnow]

The Searing Tunnels and Searing Caverns should be moved down into the underdark and get reworked also.
Wouldn't it fit perfectly into the region of the lava cave ?


A CR21 area under (a higher CR) durlags makes no sense at all now.

Lore of the tower
The tower was built entirely of volcanic stone and was in fair condition given the amount of time and neglect involved. It laid atop a volcanic plug that dominated the surrounding lands. Durlag, aided by hired dwarves, was said to have hollowed out the mountain for the rock that made up his tower and used the space created to hide further treasure.

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki ... %27s_Tower

[c2k]

I believe the Searing tunnels/Netherese Ruins should be open to both the UD and Surface, but at the point where one goes to Durlags and the other goes to the deeper UD, the door shouldn't allow passage to those that don't belong.